1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical devices for ostomy irrigation and, more particularly, to a closed drainage system which allows for the irrigation of an ostomy without requiring the user to stand over a toilet or subjecting the user, and others in his or her vicinity, to offensive odor, soiled sheets or unsightly drainage of human waste. Significantly, in a hospital or other health care facility setting, the invention decreases the likelihood of spreading infectious disease—such as HIV, MRSA, VRE, and hepatitis—by minimizing or eliminating contact with human waste related to ostomy irrigation.
2. Description of the Related Art
A colostomy is a surgical procedure in which the colon or a portion thereof is removed and the digestive track is attached to an opening created in the abdominal wall, thereby, allowing digestive waste to pass through the abdomen. Typically, the waste is then collected by an impervious bag that is secured over the opening. The opening which results from a colostomy is known as an ostomy or a stoma, and the impervious bag that collects the digestive waste is known as a colostomy bag.
An individual who has had a colostomy must typically remove and empty the colostomy bag several times a day, and must irrigate the ostomy at least every other day to maintain good health and sanitation. An ostomy is irrigated by applying flowing water into the ostomy, and then allowing the water to drain. The prior art discloses several devices for irrigating an ostomy in a sanitary manner in which the user must stand over or sit on a toilet. However, in a hospital or other health care facility setting, an individual with an ostomy may be confined to bed and therefore may be unable to position his or herself near a toilet. In such circumstance, flowing water is typically applied to the ostomy via a standard enema bag and enema bag tube. A basin or bed pan is typically placed under the individual to collect the water as it drains from the ostomy. Unfortunately though, irrigating an ostomy in this manner usually results in soiled sheets, unpleasant odors, unsightly and unsanitary drainage of human waste and, significantly, the increased chance of contact with human waste by a health care provider such as a nurse or nurse's aid. Furthermore, irrigation performed in this manner is often humiliating and embarrassing to the patient and/or the patient's guests or visitors.
Examples of ostomy irrigating devices in the prior art are provided by U.S. Pat. No. 2,154,202 to Gricks; U.S. Pat. No. 2,223,566 to Koch; U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,365 to Tezak; U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,235 to Marsan; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,404 to Williams, Jr. The devices taught by each of these patents allow for the application of flowing water to an ostomy via a receptacle that is secured to a user's waist. With each device, water continuously flows into, through, and out of the receptacle, irrigating the ostomy along the way. The flowing water exits the receptacle, in each device, via an opening or tube that is positioned over a toilet. Thus, the common drawback of all of these devices is that the user is required to stand over or sit on a toilet; therefore, these devices are not useful if the user is not in close proximity to a toilet.
Although not an ostomy irrigating device, the device taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,532 to Olsen bears a faint structural resemblance to the lower section of the present invention. The Olsen patent teaches a colostomy bag to which an extension bag may be attached. The purpose of the extension bag is to allow for collection of a large amount of waste. However, the device does not have a means for receiving flowing water and therefore can not be used for irrigating an ostomy. Additionally, the bag extension is attached to the colostomy bag by means of a flange and coupling ring that do not, by themselves, allow for the cessation of waste flowing out of the colostomy bag when the bags are separated. Although a cap may be attached to the opening on the colostomy bag, the release of waste onto the user and offensive odor into the ambient air may occur between the time the extension bag is removed and the cap is attached.
Consequently, none of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a closed drainage system for irrigating ostomies solving the aforementioned problems is desired.